FISH IN FOREST STREAMS AND LAKES 



589 



line with a half dozen hooks is used, and worms, sturgeon 

 spawn, or live minnows are used as bait. These schools 

 of small perch were supposed to be the broods of the 

 preceding May, and that they kept together until late 

 in November. They pass down to the salt water and 

 there separate. Larger adult fish are not as restless as 

 these smaller ones; are found in deeper water, and 

 usually in tide- 

 waters." 



A two-pound 

 White Perch is 

 a big one ; and, 

 as a rule, they 

 run more 

 than half that 

 weight to the 

 catch. Where 

 forest love r s 

 are most likely 

 to meet with 

 this fish will be 

 during certain 

 seasons of the 

 year in those 

 streams along 

 the Atlantic 

 Coast running 

 soon into brack- 

 ish water, and 

 where exten- 

 sive timber- 

 lands exist. 

 They are easy 

 fish to capture, 

 for they eager- 

 ly take the right 

 sort of bait, 

 and few kinds 

 make a better 

 breakfast for 

 the hungry 

 woodsman. 

 White Perch, 

 when taken in 

 salt water 

 creeks, are 

 found to be of 

 a much darker 

 color ; but it 

 must be re- 

 membered that 

 it is identically 

 the same spe- 

 cies as the silvery white ones caught in clear ponds 

 and streams of fresh water. 



From the viewpoint of one who possesses the neces- 

 sary knowledge of the science of fishes, together with 

 their structure and true affinities, the fact is patent, upon 

 comparing all these species we call "perch" in this coun- 

 try, that we really have in our fish fauna but one true 



A HAUNT OF PIKE AND PICKEREL 

 Pikes and some other fishes love such a 



pike or pickerel. 



Figure 8. Pikes and some other fishes love such a po: 

 connected with some clear, though sluggish river. Di 

 where the leaves of the pond lilies float, is an ideal retreat for 



perch, and that is the Yellow Perch. This favorite of 

 anglers everywhere has quite a wide range, occurring as 

 it does in nearly all the streams of New England, west- 

 ward to include the system of the Great Lakes; while 

 east of the Allegheny Range and southward to northern 

 Florida, it is very abundant in certain localities. At the 

 proper seasons of the year we may note many of them 



for sale in the 

 markets of the 

 cities, in the 

 northeastern 

 parts of the 

 country. This 

 perch rarely ex- 

 ceeds two 

 pounds in 

 weight or 

 measures much 

 over a foot in 

 1 ength, the 

 average being 

 rather under 

 than over these 

 figures. Where 

 they exist in 

 numbers, it re- 

 quires but a 

 short time to 

 catch a good 

 mess for break- 

 fast, as they 

 are voracious 

 feeders and bite 

 eagerly when 

 minnows or 

 angling -worms 

 are used as 

 bait. 



In many 

 localities over 

 their range, 

 these perch are 

 very abundant 

 and much 

 sought after, 

 the largest fish 

 being caught in 

 various locali- 

 ties in the Great 

 Lakes, where a 

 two-pounder is 

 not a rarity. As 

 a rule they are 

 heavier when taken in the Lakes than those obtained in 

 the rivers running into them. The example of the 

 Yellow Perch here shown in Figure io was a 

 Potomac River specimen and purchased in the Center 

 Market of Washington. It weighed but half a 

 pound; and, although the markings were not very 

 pronounced, still it gives an excellent and correct 



d as the one here shown, especially should it be 

 owri in the dark, right hand corner of this pond. 



